St. Martin’s Day crescent rolls – a pre-Advent tradition pastry from Europe we want to introduce you

There are several pre-Advent traditions in Europe.

Some of them are old and from pre-Christian times. Feast of St. Martin is one of them.

During ancient Greece and Rome, it was the celebration of the god Bacchus/Dionysos. Celebration of the harvest, young wine, and preparation for the Winter. During the Middle Ages and Christianization, it took a more religious pattern. There are several myths and legends bound with the person of St. Martin.

Because he was a Roman soldier–horseman, his typical symbol is horseshoes (although some ethnologists think they are the horns of the god Bacchus). Food traditions for the feast include baked goose or duck, sweet rolls filled with poppy seeds and walnuts, or baked sweet brioches shaped like geese.

We want to present our sourdough version of St. Martin’s rolls – horseshoes with poppy seed or walnut filling. Lightly dusted with powdered sugar, they resemble the season’s first snow.

St. Martin’s rolls from yeast dough with nut filling

According to tradition, the rolls should be leavened and filled with nuts. In addition to this variant, today, there are many other forms of this delicacy, the shape of which refers to the horseshoes of St. Martin’s horse.

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cups of semi-coarse flour
• 1 cup of milk
• 1/2 cup of sugar
• 1/2 cup of butter
• 1 egg
• 1 1/2 tablespoons of fresh yeast
• pinch of salt

Nut filling

• 3/4 cup of ground walnuts
• 3 tablespoons of powdered sugar
• 1 tbsp of honey
• 2 tablespoons of rum
• 3 tablespoons of milk
• 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon of lemon zest

Method:

1. Prepare yeast from a small amount of milk, sugar, and yeast in a bowl.
2. Before the yeast rises, sift the flour with sugar and salt into another bowl.
3. Then, make a well in the mixture and add the yeast, the rest of the milk, the egg, and the melted butter.
4. Work by hand or with the help of a food processor into a smooth, uniform dough.
5. If the dough is too sticky, add more flour.
6. Leave the processed dough in a bowl, cover with a towel, and leave to rise in a warm place for approximately 45 minutes.
7. In the meantime, prepare the walnut filling.
8. Place all the ingredients for the filling in a saucepan and cook over low heat for a few minutes, stirring constantly, until thickened.
9. Then, divide the risen dough into three or four equal parts.
10. Take the first part and use a rolling pin to roll it into a circle approximately 0.1-0.2 inches thick.
11. Divide into six triangles with a knife.
12. Place a teaspoon of nut filling and roll into a roll shape.
13. Do the same with the rest of the dough.
14. Place the rolls with walnut filling on a baking sheet lined with baking paper and leave to rise for another 20 minutes.
15. In the meantime, preheat the oven to 400°F.
16. Bake the rolls for approximately 15-18 minutes until golden.
17. Brush them with melted butter while still hot and sprinkle with powdered sugar.

Tender St. Martin’s rolls with poppy seed filling

The second most popular filling is poppy seed, right after the nut filling. Depending on your preferences, you can use leavened or unleavened dough.

Ingredients:

• 2 1/2 cups of all-purpose flour
• 1 cup of butter
• 1 cup of whipping cream
• 1/2 cup of powdered sugar
• pinch of salt

Poppy filling

• 1/2 cup of ground poppy seeds
• 1 cup of milk
• 4 Tbsp of sugar
• 1 Tbsp butter
• 1 tbsp grated gingerbread
• 1 tbsp rum
• 1 tbsp of honey
• 1 teaspoon of cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla extract

Method:

1. Mix sifted flour, sugar, and salt in a bowl.
2. Then add butter and whipping cream.
3. Work it into a uniform dough by hand or with the help of a robot.
4. Divide the prepared dough into 5-6 parts and place in the refrigerator in cling film.
5. In the meantime, prepare the poppy seed filling.
6. Put the poppy seeds, milk, butter, and sugar in a saucepan and cook the mixture over low heat until it thickens.
7. Then, put it aside and add the other ingredients.
8. Then, take the dough from the fridge and roll each portion into a circle about 0.2 inches thick.
9. Divide the rolled circle into triangles with a knife, which you then coat with the poppy seed filling.
10. Roll up the triangle from the longer side towards the tip and bend it into a roll.
11. Repeat the same procedure with the other dough.
12. Preheat the oven to 360°F and bake the rolls until golden, approximately 20-25 minutes.

After removing them from the oven, you can spread the martini rolls with butter and rum and sprinkle them with powdered sugar.

Whipped Cream St. Martin’s

Add whipped cream to the dough if you want a light version of the crescent rolls. As you can notice, the dough has no sugar; it is only part of the filling.

Ingredients:

• 2 cups of all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 cup of butter
• 1 cup whipping cream
• pinch of salt

Nut filling

• 1 cup ground walnuts
• 1/2 cup of powdered sugar
• 1 egg white
• 1 tbsp rum
• cinnamon

Method:

1. Mix the flour, butter, cream, and a pinch of salt in a bowl.
2. Then, work it into a smooth dough by hand or with the help of a food processor.
3. Wrap the dough in cling film and put it in the fridge for at least an hour.
4. In the meantime, prepare the walnut filling.
5. In a bowl, thoroughly mix the ground nuts and icing sugar, then add the egg white, rum, and a pinch of cinnamon.
6. Then, divide the dough from the fridge into 5-6 equal parts.
7. Roll out the dough into a circle with a diameter of approximately 15-16 cm inches and a thickness of 0.2 inches.
8. Using a knife, divide the circle into six equal-sized slices.
9. Place a teaspoon of nut filling in each slice towards the longer side.
10. Roll the slice from the long side to the center and bend it slightly to create a typical roll shape.
11. Place the St. Martin’s rolls on a baking sheet lined with paper.
12. Bake in an oven preheated to 350°F for approximately 20-25 minutes until golden.
13. While the rolls are still warm, you can spread butter with a little rum and sprinkle with powdered sugar.

St. Martin’s rolls with cottage cheese and nuts

In addition to whipped cream or sour cream, you can add cottage cheese to the dough to lighten and soften it. In that case, you will surely enjoy this mug recipe. The rolls are made of unleavened dough.

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cup of all-purpose flour
• 1 cup of cottage cheese
• 4 tablespoons of sugar
• 1 egg + 1 egg white
• 4 tablespoons of vegetable oil
• 1 teaspoon of baking powder
• powdered sugar for sprinkling

Nut filling

• 1 cup ground walnuts
• 1/2 cup of powdered sugar
• 1 egg white
• 1-2 tablespoons of rum
• 1 teaspoon of cinnamon

Method:

1. First, prepare the walnut filling.
2. Mix the ground nuts and icing sugar in a bowl, then add the egg white, rum, and cinnamon.
3. Then, mix the sifted flour with sugar and baking powder in another bowl.
4. Add cottage cheese, egg, and oil.
5. Mix thoroughly and work into a dough.
6. Then, divide the dough into two equal parts.
7. Then, roll each part into a circle about 0.2 inches thick and divide it into eight slices.
8. Place a spoonful or two of the walnut filling in each triangle.
9. Roll into a roll.
10. Place the Martin rolls on a baking sheet lined with baking paper.
11. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
12. Brush the rolls with egg white and bake until golden brown for 25-30 minutes.
13. While still warm, sprinkle with icing sugar.

The tradition of St. Martin’s rolls

When we speak about the feast of St. Martin, most Europeans think of the saying that St. Martin arrives on a white horse.

It is precisely Martin’s rolls whose shape refers to the horseshoes of Martin’s horse.

The feast of St. Martin is a well-celebrated tradition in many European countries. It is a day linked to various customs and rituals.

Historically, it was associated with pilgrimages, consecrations, and markets, making it a significant event in the community. It was also an important day for householders, servants, and other professionals.

Traditionally, on the feast of St. Martin, the contracted service usually ended, and the landlord paid them a salary and possibly extended the contract. If not, the servants had to find a new landlord. On this occasion, the housekeeper gave the family St. Martin’s rolls, a type of pastry with a fascinating history.

The original recipes for St. Martin’s rolls were made from yeast dough and filled with poppy seeds or walnuts. In addition, this pastry served as a reward for the carolers who came to the Martin carol.

Over time, many delicious variants of the traditional recipe have emerged. In addition to the classic fillings, St. Martin’s rolls can also be filled with cottage cheese or jam.

Another popular variation is the unleavened version of the dough, which has gained popularity recently. It’s a wonderful and delicious tradition that brings communities together in celebration.